Comparison of Environmental Loads of Fibers Used in the Manufacture of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) and Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) Mixes Using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Abstract

Several authors have demonstrated improvements in the mechanical performance of asphalt mixes by including the use of fibers. However, it has also been reported that environmental assessments must address fiber use in asphalt mixes from the point of view of sustainability. In this study, a life cycle assessment is used to compare the use of four different fibers (fiberglass, polyester fiber, aramid fiber, and cellulose fiber) commonly used in hot mix asphalt (HMA) and stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixes. Additionally, the use of textile fibers from end-of-life tires (FiTyre) is included in the comparison. The results show that in the five selected impact categories (climate change, terrestrial acidification, human toxicity, particulate matter emissions, and the exhaustion of nonrenewable fossil fuels), the use of FiTyre and cellulose fibers is more advantageous than existing traditional fibers (fiberglass, polyester fiber, and aramid fiber).